NEWS RELEASE. Attorney General unveils report and recommendations on electoral reform referendum

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1 For Immediate Release 2018AG May 30, 2018 NEWS RELEASE Attorney General unveils report and recommendations on electoral reform referendum VICTORIA David Eby, Attorney General, has released a report detailing the results of the citizen engagement on electoral reform, which informed his 18 recommendations to cabinet for how the fall 2018 referendum should be structured. The public engagement ran for 14 weeks, ending Feb. 28, 2018, and drew 180,000 visits to the How We Vote website, with a record 91,725 questionnaires completed. Another 1,101 questionnaires were completed by a panel selected to represent B.C. s demographic mix to provide a base for comparison to the website respondents. Substantive written submissions were received by 46 organizations and 208 individuals. The report released today contains a comprehensive breakdown of results, and analysis of the recommendations by the attorney general. British Columbians made their voices and their values heard, and it was important we gave them the opportunity to direct how this referendum should work, said Eby. This input has provided us a firm footing for the recommendations I am putting forward to cabinet. While the engagement marked a first step in involving the public more meaningfully in our democratic process, ultimately, British Columbians, through the referendum, will determine how we vote in B.C. The attorney general s recommendations to cabinet cover all aspects of the fall 2018 referendum, which will decide whether B.C. keeps its current First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system or moves to a system of proportional representation (PR). The report recommends that the referendum ballot include two questions: 1. Which should British Columbia use for elections to the Legislative Assembly (Vote for only one.): The current First Past the Post voting system A proportional representation voting system 2. If British Columbia adopts a proportional representation voting system, which of the following voting systems do you prefer? (Vote for the voting systems you wish to support by ranking them in order of preference. You may choose to support one, two or all three of the systems.): Dual Member Proportional (DMP) Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) Rural-Urban PR

2 If a majority of responses to the first question vote to adopt a proportional representation voting system, then responses to the second question would determine which system is implemented in British Columbia. The report s key recommendations also include that: The referendum campaign period begin July 1, 2018, and end by Nov. 30, The referendum voting period (by mail-in ballot) run Oct. 22, 2018, to Nov. 30, The chief electoral officer, who is independent of government, provide neutral and factual information to voters about the referendum, including voting systems on the ballot. The chief electoral officer select one designated group to advocate on behalf of retaining the current FPTP voting system, and one to advocate on behalf of PR, using a selection process similar to the 2009 referendum on electoral reform. If voters decide to adopt a proportional representation system, a second referendum be held following two general elections, where voters would decide to keep the new system or return to FPTP. The report describes the three proportional representation systems to be included on the ballot, which correspond to the engagement with British Columbians. If a proportional system is adopted, it must include a set of features, including: No significant increase in the size of the legislature. No region of the province having fewer MLAs than it currently has. No political party being eligible to receive a seat if they receive less than 5% of the overall vote in the province or region. Eby presented the report with recommendations to the public, prior to delivering it to cabinet for deliberation. Learn More: How We Vote Report and Recommendations: Reform-Referendum-Report-and-Recommendations-of-the-Attorney-General.pdf A backgrounder follows. Contact: Communications Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect

3 For Immediate Release 2018AG May 30, 2018 BACKGROUNDER Summary of Electoral Reform Report - Recommendations to cabinet Referendum Ballot Questions Recommendation: That the referendum ballot questions be as follows: Which should British Columbia use for elections to the Legislative Assembly? (Vote for only one.): The current First Past the Post voting system A proportional representation voting system If British Columbia adopts a proportional representation voting system, which of the following voting systems do you prefer? (Vote for the voting systems you wish to support by ranking them in order of preference. You may choose to support one, two or all three of the systems.) Dual Member Proportional (DMP) Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) Rural-Urban PR Recommendation: That voters be permitted to: vote for either question or both questions as they wish; and indicate support for one, two or all three of the proportional representation voting systems in the second question. Recommendation: Votes for the second question should be counted as follows: if no voting system receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, then the system that receives the fewest first-choice votes is dropped from further consideration; the second choices of the voters who voted for the system that has been dropped are redistributed to the other two systems; whichever of the two remaining systems has the most votes at that point would be the system that is adopted. Matters for Post-Referendum Deliberation and Implementation Recommendation: That, if the result of the referendum is the adoption of a proportional representation voting system, an all-party legislative committee consider and make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly on any matters necessary for the design and implementation of the chosen voting system that are not described in the recommended models in this report. Recommendation: That the legislative committee be required to report no later than March

4 31, 2019, and that it be constituted during the Fall 2018 legislative session in order to begin its work immediately if the result of the referendum is to adopt a proportional representation voting system. Referendum Voting Period Recommendation: That the referendum voting period (the period during which ballot packages are to be distributed and returned) be Oct. 22, 2018 to Nov. 30, Referendum Campaign Period Recommendation: That the referendum campaign period (the period during which referendum advertising is regulated) begin on July 1, 2018, and end at the end of the referendum voting period. Referendum Campaign Advertising and Financing Recommendation: That referendum advertising sponsors be subject to an expenses limit of $200,000 during the referendum campaign period. Recommendation: That referendum advertising sponsors be regulated in a manner similar to election advertising sponsors under Parts 10.1 and 11 of the Election Act, including but not limited to restrictions on the source and amounts of permissible sponsorship contributions, a requirement to register in advance of conducting referendum advertising, and a requirement to file post-referendum reports. Recommendation: That provincial political parties be subject to the same referendum campaign rules as other referendum advertising sponsors, except that any contributions raised by political parties for referendum activities be treated as political contributions under the Election Act. Designated Referendum Proponent and Opponent Groups Recommendation: That there be one designated group to advocate on behalf of retaining the current First Past the Post voting system, and one designated group to advocate on behalf of proportional representation. Recommendation: That the Chief Electoral Officer select the designated groups using a process and selection criteria similar to the 2009 referendum on electoral reform. Recommendation: That each group be provided with $500,000 in public funding for the purpose of stimulating public interest and debate about the choices on the referendum ballot. Recommendation: That the designated groups use of public funding be regulated in a manner similar to the 2009 referendum on electoral reform, including restrictions on use and repayment of any unused funds. Recommendation: That the overall expenses limit for each designated group be the sum of

5 their public funding plus the amount of the expenses limit established for referendum advertising sponsors, and that any funds the designated groups raise outside of the public funding amounts be subject to the same rules as for other referendum advertising sponsors. Public Education Recommendation: That the Chief Electoral Officer be responsible for providing neutral and factual information to voters about the referendum, including informing voters about the voting systems appearing on the referendum ballot. Subsequent Referendum Recommendation: That, if the result of the 2018 referendum is the adoption of a proportional representation voting system, a second referendum be held after two provincial general elections in which the proportional representation voting system is used on whether to keep that voting system or revert to the First Past the Post voting system. Indigenous Representation Recommendation: That, regardless of the outcome of the referendum, a legislative committee be appointed to examine ways to improve the representation of Indigenous people in the British Columbia Legislature, including issues of accessibility and inclusion and the issue of creating one or more designated seats for Indigenous people in the Legislative Assembly. Contact: Communications Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect